


For Us

by Baccatapages



Series: Here We Go [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adoption, Fluff, Heart-to-Heart, Humour, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Some Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-23 00:25:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18538534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baccatapages/pseuds/Baccatapages
Summary: You shrugged. "In one of my foster families, I had a stuffed dog.""Was it your best friend or something?" Steve asked."Um, no, it scared me actually. It was the family pet for quite a few years until they had it stuffed."





	For Us

"I can't believe Tony and Pepper are getting a kid." Steve mused one evening after the Avengers had spent the night getting drunk in celebration.

"Hmm. How old did they say the kid was?" You asked, swatting Bucky's hands away from your shorts and ignoring his pouting.

"Five, I think." Steve said. "It'll be weird having a kid running around."

"You know we'll probably get saddled with babysitting duty, right?" Bucky sighed, flopping onto his back.

"Aww, c'mon Buck, you love playing with Clint's kids." Steve pointed out, prodding the man in the side of the head.

"Well, yeah, but they don't give me constant headaches." Bucky countered. "God I hope this kid isn't going to be a little shit."

"You shouldn't judge the kid before you meet them." You reprimanded, wriggling in between Steve and Bucky to stop Steve's constant prodding of Bucky. "I feel like we should get the kid a gift."

"Well, what do you suggest?"

"Hmm, I could give him a chart on anatomy?" You offered. "One of those good ones with all the arteries in the right place and that tells you how much the average human body can withstand."

Steve grimaced. "I don't think a kid will like that."

"A stuffed toy, maybe?" Bucky suggested, snuggling up into your side. 

You shrugged. "In one of my foster families, I had a stuffed dog."

"Was it your best friend or something?" Steve asked.

"Um, no, it scared me actually. It was the family pet for quite a few years until they had it stuffed." 

The three of you lay in semi-awkward silence until Bucky finally broke it. "Bricks."

"You want to give them a brick."

"No, the coloured bricks that make up things."

"Lego, Bucky. You're talking about lego." You patted his cheek. "That's not a bad idea, actually."

 

Pepper glared down at the pieces laid on the floor in front of her. She was determined to put this monstrosity together for the little boy they'd be getting, but the instructions were making it damn hard. "Friday, is anyone home?"

"Mr Barnes is currently reading in his room." Friday said helpfully. "Though I warn you, he is crying."

"Why?" Pepper asked, alarmed.

"He is reading 'Fault in our stars'."

"Is there no one else?"

"No, Miss Potts."

"Tell him to get in here. Now." 

Barnes emerged a few minutes later with slightly red eyes but smiled at Pepper who simply glared back. "Is everything okay?" Bucky asked nervously.

"I'm trying to assemble this toy for Peter to play with when he gets here but the instructions make no sense." Pepper huffed and held up the instructions. "'Gently forward piece to coupling for together with warning about many danger.' What the hell does that mean?"

Bucky knelt down next to her and squinted at the instructions. "The blue piece might fit there." He pointed to the piece in question.

"Really?" Pepper scoffed, picking up the piece. Bucky recoiled slightly. "Oh really? This piece just fits here, hmm? Let me just, let me just show you, okay? This is just supposed to slide right in here like this." She tried to slide the blue piece in but the whole thing fell apart.

"Don't they have services to do this for you?"

"Oh yes, but this cost a hundred dollars and they want a hundred and ten to put it together." Pepper rolled her eyes. "No way am I spending that."

Bucky squinted at her. "You're married to a billionaire."

Pepper glowered at him. "I will do this, Barnes. Even if it kills me."

"It doesn't seem like a bad service." Bucky shrugged.

"Are you calling me stupid?"

Bucky inched away from her. "Uh, no, no, i'm-"

"I am not going to let this toy beat me." Pepper huffed and picked up a plastic rabbit. "Look, this picture here-- look, this, this shows that-- go like this, right-- that this little rabbit, this happy little bunny goes in this little hole right next to the frog. But it just doesn't because it's lying-" She snarled trying to jam the bunny into the hole next to the frog.

"Hey Pepper." Tony greeted, whistling as he strode in. "Do you want to get lunch?"

Pepper let the bunny fall to the ground and turned to glare at him. "He is your son too, and you're a genius scientist, so you're going to come over and assemble this or there will be blood."

Tony's eyes widened and he knelt down next to the disassembled toy. "Okay, okay, we can do this." He said comfortingly as Bucky promptly stood and sprinted out of the room. "Are these instructions in Chinese?" Tony grimaced.

"What? No, that's just the diagram." Pepper flipped the paper over.

Tony squinted at it. "To make seat with secure to fasten green pin 'B' to happy." 

 

Tony and Pepper supposedly picked up Peter on Friday, but they were acting very strange because they kept sending the Avengers out on ridiculously tedious tasks. Sam betted it was because the kid, Peter, was a little shit. Natasha said it was because they didn't have enough time to do tedious things. When asked your opinion, you said it was because Tony and Pepper simply didn't want the Avengers to meet Peter, though you couldn't figure out why. 

They couldn't hide Peter forever, especially when it was over a week since Peter was brought home and you suggested a party to celebrate. It was a dirty trick - Tony could never resist an excuse for a party - and it worked. 

You always had a habit of being ridiculously early to things and so in turn dragged Bucky and Steve along with you, normally helping with setting up. The three of you stepped out of the lift and Steve went off to put the wine in the fridge and find bowls for the snacks you brought, Bucky went to put the gifts on the coffee table and you went to find Tony. 

Someone squawked indignantly behind you and you turned to see Tony looking panicked. Behind him was a boy, about ten, with curly brown hair and brown eyes. He was about 5'2 and most certainly didn't look five years old.

A smile crept its way onto your face. "You must be Peter. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Y/n."

"Thanks!" The boy, Peter, chirped. "Mr Stark was really nervous about me meeting you guys but you're really nice so i don't think he has anything to worry about."

"So how old are you, Peter?" You asked, batting a protesting Tony away. 

"I'm fifteen. Kind of old to be adopted but i'm just glad I was." He beamed sunnily.

Fifteen? Jesus, puberty must've passed over him you thought. You grinned. "Well, i'm glad you're here. I hope you'll like it here."

"Hey." Steve said, walking over to you and putting an arm over your shoulders. "Ah, i'm-"

"Captain America!" Peter said excitedly, shaking Steve's hand enthusiastically. "God, it's such an honour to meet you! You're my favourite avenger."

"I thought I was your favourite Avenger?" Tony pouted.

Peter pursed his lips. "You're my favourite scientist?" He offered.

Tony shrugged. "Eh, i'll take it."

 

Peter seemed to be buzzing like a kid on a sugar high as he was introduced to the Avengers, he even squeaked when he saw Bucky and started blabbering about how much of a fan he was. They eventually sat down for some take out. You decided to have mercy on Bucky and sat between Peter and Bucky, the two supersoldiers cuddling up near Sam who looked very disgruntled. 

Everyone had quietened down and you noticed Peter was staring out of the window, a lost expression on his face. Gone was the excited puppy fanboy. 

"You know I'm an inhuman." You said, startling Peter out of his daze. "I can absorb vast quantities of knowledge at a glance."

"Really?"

"Yep. It was great for tests." You smiled as Peter huffed a laugh. "Peter, I want you to know that you'll be treated well here."

He blinked at you. "Whenever someone said that, they lied."

"I know what it's like." You offered. "Some of them don't bother to learn your name, some don't bother to feed you, some don't bother to unlock the chains for when you need the toilet." You sighed. "I can't read minds, Peter, but I can tell if someone is telling the truth. I'm a polygraph. If you come to me and tell me if someone ever bothers you, I will never turn away. I will do my best to help you."

Peter nodded and got up, presumably for some of the cake Thor was trying to cut with Mjolnir. He turned back after a few steps. "You know, you look sad whenever you think they're not watching."

You raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"

"I don't know why you're sad but...I'm sorry."

With that, he scurried off, forming a broad excited smile on his face as he hugged Pepper tightly.

 

Pepper wandered back into the common room, herbal tea in hand, to see the toy she'd left disassembled, finally in one piece. You were reading a book next to it, propped up against the sofa. "Oh my god." Pepper gasped and you looked up from your book.

"Pepper, I wanted to talk to you."

"Did you do this?" She pointed to the toy.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I was wondering if you'd be willing to donate it to a local children's hospital a little ways down the road since it was designed for someone ten years younger than Peter." You shrugged. "But if you can't-"

"YOU DID THIS?"

"...yes?"

 


End file.
